Mat from worn-out tires



April 7, 1931. .1. B. KIEFER MAT FROM WORN OUT TIRES Filed Dec. 5, 1928/g Jm 11V VENTOR B ,Jb/m. B. K/ efer' A TTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1931 1mArrnoM woniv-ocr TIRES Application filed December 5, 1928." Serial No.323,958.

This invention relates to the method or process of producing'from worn,or used, automobile tires, serviceable, material for further use, andrelates particularly to mats Y6: and straps and the construction of matstherefrom.

The objects of the invention are to provide a'method for utilizing theunworn fabric portion, commonly called the carcass,

of used automobile tires, after the removal of the rim beads, and rubbertreador faces therefrom. a

A further object is to divide the carcass into sections of suitablethickness or flexibility,

each section, and without breaking the rubber connection, or bond,between the plles; and then cutting the sections longitudinally intostrips from which the lateral tire curves may be easily removed to formflat straps-of suitable width for various uses, as for trunk straps,weather strip, mats, etc.

The particular 0 ject of the invention is to provide a method for sopreparing'such straps and for building the same into mats, with aplurality of the straps laid parallel to form an upper section, and aplurality of the straps laid parallel to form a lowersection, the strapsin the upper section positioned at right angles to the straps in thelower section,

and the straps of each section affixed to those.

of the other section where they cross each other, to provide resilientflexible mats of various designs.

I A further object is to provide serviceable straps from such wornautomobile tires, and mats therefrom forvarious uses.

Withthese and other objects as will herein appear I have illustrated myinvention by the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 shows a top plan of one of the flat straps formed from thecarcass portion of a used automobile tire, with the face cross hatchedto indicate the top ply of fabric.

Figure 2 represents a plan of a mat formed from the straps placed inrows over each other at right angles, with-all straps spaced apart inboth the upper andlower set or section thereof. I r

with a plurality of plies of fabric in:

Figure 3 represents a sideelevation of the mats with parts broken away.Y

"Figure 4 represents a second of such mats, with the lowerrow orsection'of straps adjoining each other, and the upper.

straps spaced apart from each other.

' Figure 5. representsa third modification of such mats, :withall the"straps in each section adjoining each other, withparts-broken away. "1r it For clearness, the indications of fabric are omitted from Figures2, 3, 4 and 5. Like .nu-1 merals on the different figures representlikeparts.. 7 x The increasing use of automobiles, continually createsalarge supply ofi used-tires, which are; no longer valuable forautomobiles ;-but the carcass portion ofma-ny of the tires arepractically as good as new for some purposesyand. bymy methods asdescribed herein, these ,oldtires ,can be made: into a serviceableproducts. "2 I first remove the rim beads-and then clean away the, outerrubber wearing faces from the tires, thus. leaving the carcass, which isformed-0f anumber of plies or" layers A, of j cotton fabric, as cloth orcords; attached together with layers ofrubberbetween as a bindingbond. II then divide the carcass into layers of suitablethickness-for thevarious purposes intended, and then cut thelayers into narrower stripsorstraps, of suitable; width,-for a required use. '2 After thissegregationpthe several straps will'contain'a p1u-' rality of the fabricplies, held as. an integral body by the rubber enfolding bonds between,i

and of great strength, and wearing capacity.

When so cut into the required widths and.

thickness the original lateral curvein the. strips asformed for the tireuse,,is readily flattened out.

modification In the construction of matsi-froimsuch straps, shownasfl, Iarrange any plural number, ofthestraps in parallel lines, andipreferablyspaced apart sufficienjtlyto vprovide. channels between the same wherebythe edges, or corners 7; of .the, straps may be. used 1 as scrapers forremoving dirt etc, from shoes, without injury tothe leather thereof.Ithen arrange another section of such straps as 8,

' in similar form, but crosswise or at right angles to the straps 7, andthen aflix the two sets of straps or sections together by cement- 7 ingor riveting or other suitable means at points where the straps crosseach other. The ends of the straps are preferably securely boundtogether with binding staples as 9, to revent any loosening at suchpoints.

uch mats may also be formed with all the straps in the lower sectionplaced adjoining each other, as in Figure flfihus providing a solid basefor the mat, and so preventing an of the scrapings from the shoes from'fa ling through, to injure floors of corridors, or other places wherethe mats may be placed me. 1 V a Mats of such material may. also beformed with the straps of both the :upper and lower seetimsplacedadjacenteach other, to provide a double solid faced mat, as illustratedin Figure 5. "This formis particularly useful on cement floors, and inplaces where a resilient and wear resisting mat is desired.

All of my 'forms of mats may be reversed for use of either side, and soprovide for long life thereof, with continued flexibility andresiliency. It is also obvious that various other changes in details.and'design may be used without departing from the spirit of myinvention, and I do not therefore limit myself to the specific formsshown. In the use ofthe straps for transportation and for adaptation tovarious construction uses, any number of the straps as shown in Figure 1are preterabiy attached together endwise as by cement, to form acontinuous strip, and then rolled upon any spool or drum, ribbon wise,from which they may be lmwound from any suitable machine or manaaillz'for convenient use as required. r

ving described my invention, I claim as new for Letters Patent:

L A mat formed from straps cut from the carcasses of worn automobiletires, comprising two sets ;of a plurality of such straps of suitablewidth and thickness for a double 7 mat, the straps in eachfsetrespectively ar ranged parallel witheach other but crosswise to theother set, and the two sets attached togather one over the other, toprovide a resiliant and flexible mat.

2. A floor mat, comprising straps produoed fromworn automobile tires, anupper and lower plural section'of such straps one above the other, thestraps in the upper section laid across the straps in the lower sectionat right anglestherew'ith and the two sets attached together where thestraps intersect each other, with thestrap in the upper section providedwith angular edgesand spaced apart from each other to provide scrapercorners thereon for cleaning shoes without injury thereto. I I V JOHN B.

